Announcing Volunteer Coordinator

Today’s post is an interview with our new Volunteer Coordinator! The DRP is able to offer this position because of the generous support of the Portfolio to Protect Science, a fiscally sponsored initiative of Global Impact, as well as other anonymous individual donors.

We are so excited to have this chance to sit down with our Volunteer Coordinator, Erin Stein! Can you tell us a little about yourself, and what drew you to this position?

I have been working at the intersection of open data, open technology, and social impact for over a decade. In particular, my work has centered on creating open data resources, demonstrating the value of open data, and empowering organizations to use open data in conjunction with their own. Organizational work can get stymied by datasets being removed, or significantly altered - which means that resources that were already constrained, and people who are working towards the greater good, face huge barriers to accomplishing their work. I was fortunate enough to work in a role wherein I facilitated connections between data scientists and engineers with organizations that need technical assistance. This means the organizations get the support they need, and those with the technical expertise can contribute their skills to projects and causes they are passionate about.

As everyone reading this will know, what we're seeing now is on a whole new level, a scale no one could have anticipated. The DRP position was exciting for me, because the DRP feels like the most impactful way to act in our current environment. The genuine, community-based efforts bring people together to work on causes they are passionate about.

And honestly, for me, this position is a treat. I get to support volunteers in taking action, empowering them to contribute in ways that meet their skills and interest, while also enabling open data access.  

You have a lot of experience in open source and open data communities. What about these efforts do you find more rewarding?

Let's start with the obvious: the volunteers. They are so creative and innovative, but in working together, as a cohesive community, they can do more than they ever could alone. In many ways, these collaborative efforts feel like microcosms of a perfect world, a glimpse into a future that could be.

The concept itself of open source is so powerful, too: by democratizing access to resources, you're going to get a wide diversity of ideas and solutions. You see this reflected in hackathons during which volunteers can gain new skills, and engage with data in different ways. I'm always impressed by what volunteers would come up with. In past roles, we've set up hackathons with a few potential paths- but in just a few hours, the volunteers blew me away with their creativity, their impacts. And in fact, they convinced ME more and more of the importance of open data and open source. It also reminded me just how generous and impactful volunteers can be when given the chance.

I started my professional life as a teacher, and I've never stopped loving that moment when you see someone take the materials you've given them and create something new and wonderful. That pride is something that I also get every time I work with volunteers; those heart-beating-out-of-my-chest moments.

So to sum it up, I think my favorite part of these community-based efforts are, well, the community. When we join forces, it is wonderful what we can achieve.

You have all this experience and been part of these communities – what’s your 6 month goal?

The volunteers are the special sauce that makes open projects work. They are why the DRP has been successful. Our job is to ensure they have the space and resources to act. We need to create and build a nurturing environment. The DRP has been around for just about 18 months, and there has been some truly wonderful work. But now we have the chance to do more. This includes improving the systems for engagement: structured onboarding, a seamless experience for getting oriented, and clear paths for engagement. We're laying the foundation first so we can continue to grow this trusting community.

Final question: we have almost 1,000 volunteers with the DRP. What is one thing you’d like them to know?

I want every volunteer to know that the effort you put in today, even if it feels small, even if it is only 30 minutes!, is going to have an exponential impact far beyond today that we can’t even predict. The sum of what we're doing, the work you're doing, is greater than the individual parts.  We’re so appreciative of what you’re doing and your generosity of time.

Also, if you have the time and interest, reach out! I'd love to hear what has worked for you in the DRP, what hasn't, and any other feedback or suggestions you have.